Mr. Flip’s Steampunk Legacy

Fairhaven Steampunk Festival in Bellingham to serve up music, costumes, vendors and more

Staff Report

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Steampunks will roam Fairhaven Village Green in Bellingham, Washington as the Fairhaven Steampunk Festival: Mr. Flip’s Carnival of Wonders & Curiosities takes place on Saturday, July 28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The free, family-friendly event will include live entertainment, a costume contest, steampunk vendors and more.

This is the seventh year for the festival, which draws attendees from as far away as Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver, BC. The Village Green is part of Bellingham’s Fairhaven Historic District, home to many buildings from the 1890s.

Village Books, which is adjacent to the Village Green, will host a “What is Steampunk?” presentation by Jeffrey Cook, author of the “Dawn of Steam” series.

More than 30 vendors will occupy the Village Green and neighboring 10th Street, which will be closed to traffic. Attendees can participate in Mr. Flip’s Passport Adventure, in which vendors stamp free passports available from the event headquarters on 10th Street. If you get 16 stamps, you can turn in the passport for a raffle ticket. Three raffle draws are scheduled with two prizes per draw.

The costume contest will recognize entries in six categories: Men, Women, Teens, Kids, Group and Steam Junked. The latter is a new category for costumes made from repurposed or upcycled materials.

The festival is presented by the Bellingham Steampunk Society, Historic Fairhaven Association and Village Books. It is named for Caleb “Flip” Kors, a young boy who delighted locals in 2011 with his enthusiastic circus performances.

Fairhaven Village Green is located at 1207 10th St, Bellingham, WA 98225, in the southern part of the city. Bellingham is about 90 miles north of Seattle. The event will be held rain or shine.

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The Steampunk Explorer is an online magazine and resource directory for steampunk enthusiasts and creators. You'll find stories about people, places and events in the steampunk world, as well as guides to retail outlets, museums, galleries, eateries, and other attractions in 36 North American regions, with more to come. We also have several pages of resources for artists, writers, and people with an interest in 19th century history. The site launched in March 2018 and is currently in public beta (meaning "please excuse our dust"). Read more. . .